


Everything Ends

by orphan_account



Series: Gellert & Vinda Friendship/Backstory [3]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: And the end of those things, Angst, F/F, Fighting, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, implied romantic relationships, mostly focusing on friendships and found family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 08:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21443464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Sometimes it is the very thing we think is untouchable.The acolytes face their final battle before the legendary duel.
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald, Gellert Grindelwald & Vinda Rosier, Queenie Goldstein & Vinda Rosier
Series: Gellert & Vinda Friendship/Backstory [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607923
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Everything Ends

Her heart beat was so swift, it propelled her forward, making her feel as though she were flying instead of running.

Queenie felt as though she could have been running from the moment that she had left Grindelwald’s side. It had been her decision in the end, seeing her beloved ones there at the rally and the desire to protect those new precious ones in her life. Queenie hoped more than anything that the two sides of her life could be sewn together, a tapestry of two very different fabrics. How could they not see-

It was then that Queenie turned the corner, coming upon a scene that not even the deepest nightmare could prepare her for.

Dark hair, falling from a tight low bun-

The tiny frame of a woman she had known quite well was crumpled on the ground. Standing, hovering like a vulture, a wizard Queenie believed she remembered from the ministry… an auror, raised his wand.

Vinda pursed her lips as she tried to sit up, her red lipstick smeared as though it had been applied by a shaky hand. Queenie guessed it had been smeared from a physical fight. What else could explain the usually orderly witches disheveled appearance.

Yet, even still, Queenie felt herself in a trance. Nothing in the world could cause a rose’s beauty to pale.

Crumble the leaves and the colors become all the more vivid.

Try and crush it and the pleasant fragrance only releases more.

The auror’s spell, harsh and swift, finally released her from her dazed thoughts.

“Ava-“

“Avada Kadavra!”

Queenie closed her eyes, she could not bring herself to watch the green flash as it lit the dim room.

Upon opening them, she winced, knowing well the outcome that lay before her.

Her wand extended, the blond saw the auror… dead.

Queenie had never killed. Never.

But in such a moment, she had not hesitated. Nor did she find that she felt any remorse for what she had done. In the moment she was numb to it all. One thought only echoed in her mind-

“Vinda.” Queenie was by the fallen witch’s side in a heartbeat.

“Why?” And Vinda seemed just as surprised by the other’s act, as she quickly found her wand by her side, “You-“

The one who had betrayed them, leaving Grindelwald’s side for…

Vinda tried to raise her wand at the trader.

But it was impossible. Her body felt heavy, and her stomach dropped just as low.

“Are you alright?” Queenie asked, right away questioning the instinctual statement, “Of course you are not.” She never thought she would ever see Vinda in such a state. The witch always seemed so powerful. How in the world had she been bested?

And that lipstick-

Queenie reached out gingerly, wanting to fix the appearance Vinda fought so hard to maintain. With a single finger Queenie attempted to wipe the red from below the other’s lip. The instant she made contact with that warm skin it became apparent to her-

It was not lipstick but blood.

Withdrawing instantly, Queenie felt she would do anything to see to it that Vinda never came to harm again.

It didn’t matter if such a feeling was reciprocated. Did she even deserve it to be? She had been selfish. Left them. Queenie was partly the reason there was this siege in the first place.

“I’m sorry.”

Vinda shook her head, surprised herself she had not yet pulled away from this enemy.

This enemy who had… saved her.

“You will be alright.” Queenie offered her support, helping the witch find her footing, “I will be sure you never come to harm.”

“You have been brainwashed.” Vinda answered. And Queenie knew from the face she received that Vinda did not believe her, “I cannot say the same for you.”

Brainwashed?

How Queenie felt a sense of déjà vu. Jacob, her sister, everyone had been so sure she had been brainwashed as well. Though of course the culprit was very different, the sentiment was the same.

‘You cannot think on your own.’

That is what Queenie heard.

But she could take care of herself. Her decisions were hers to make. She was not so weak as everyone believed.

Despite the harshness of the words, Queenie found the emotion behind them completely understandable. It was Grindelwald’s belief in Queenie’s power that had caused their worlds to overlap in the first place, “I could never ask you to assure my safety.” Queenie told the only one she believed she had made a connection with in all those months away from home.

All those months spent in worry-

In that time Queenie had felt she understood more and more Grindelwald’s reasoning, the driving forces that led him to take up such a fight.

And Queenie had soon come to realize, Vinda had her own…

The French witch had been particularly hard to read. Her thoughts in a language Queenie could not grasp. Though, people were always easiest to read when they are in pain, regardless of any barriers there could be. When people were in pain Queenie could hear perfectly any thoughts, understand their meaning, as though the information was being whispered directly into her ear. There was never any room to doubt what was said.

“You won’t win.” Vinda finally spoke again, taking step after step away, distancing herself before turning around. The imposing, proud and proper figure was hunched slightly and trembling. Her words were a threat, but they hardly seemed like one to Queenie, because-

There was something Vinda still was not grasping, “I’m not trying to. We may have had some disagreements, we still do-” Queenie remembered the other’s stance on muggles, “But I would never fight you like this, ever. Stay with me now and we can talk, I will try to keep you safe until this is all over.”

How she missed their talks.

And for a moment Queenie felt she heard words of agreement.

But, through the drone of spells and screams of battle, there had been no reply aloud.

Because, of course, it was never Vinda who spoke.

Queenie felt ashamed for her ability for the first time in a long time. She thought back. How all their ‘conversations’ had been her alone, speaking to Vinda about this and that. And Vinda listened, but she had never contributed… not aloud.

Such a one sided relationship, a friendship that weighed in the favor of one.

It was unstable and unsustainable-

Queenie lowered her eyes, Vinda’s silence making her mute.

“Watch out.” A voice called out seconds before a spell flew past, expertly aimed at it’s target.

Luckily Vinda now seemed alert enough to counter it.

The spell caster’s voice was familiar as it spoke words of concern, “Are you alright-” The man swiftly placed himself between the acolyte and, “Queenie?”

“Achilles!”

Achilles Tolliver had not long ago been dating her sister. He had always been so protective of the Goldstein sisters, not that they needed it.

“Achilles, It’s alright. She is n-“

But the auror had not been trained to take chances. He pushed forward, letting lose spell after spell. Only one needed to land.

Queenie hesitated for a moment. Should she raze her wand to Achilles? There had to be a way to settle things without fighting, without more harm being done, “Tolly, listen to me!” Queenie shouted just as a spell finally landed on its mark.

Vinda was trapped, bound and unable to move.

Satisfaction crossed Achilles’ features, pleased he was finally able to subdue this infamous witch, “Now then. Are you ready to answer for your crimes?”

Queenie was not as pleased as she ran to the man, taking his arm in her hand and shaking it, “Leave her alone.”

The auror turned sharply to her, “Have you lost your mind? No.” He jerked his arm away from Queenie’s grasp, using it to motion at the one who lie dead on the floor, “Look at what she has done. I have worked with Antoni since the beginning. He was a good man. His wife just had a child. And this is not the first time she has ruined lives, I can guarantee you that.”

“Bu-“

“I understand that you…” He seemed to be looking for a way to phrase it, “knew these people. And you have the kindest heart. But not everyone deserves it.”

“Will you kill me then?” Vinda’s voice sounded hopeful, as though she were a child asking her parent if they will be going to a sweets shop. She did not make any attempt to correct Achilles’ assumption that she had killed this man, despite being innocent of this particular crime.

“Though I would love to see you placed in the Death Cell, for right now you are-“

“What do you think you’re doing, friend?” A calm voice asked, drawing the three’s attention to that guest.

Gellert Grindelwald was a master at captivation, both for better or worse, no one could look away as he spoke.

Queenie sighed, looking to Vinda who also looked to be just as happy to see her oldest friend, her leader.

Tolliver seemed just as pleased, “I have your second in command, and rumor has it… your lover.”

Despite her situation, Vinda snorted, unable to suppress her laugh. Out of all the rumors, this was by far always the funniest to her.

“I do love her, yes.” Grindelwald would not deny.

“Then, you will come with me. Or else I will kill her here before you.”

Grindelwald made no move, not to go with him or to fight back.

“Well?”

Vinda’s smile fell from her face. She knew the other well enough.

He could turn himself in, escape like he had so many times in the past. Vinda would be there to help him do it. But the look on her friends face, it told her-

“You have no leverage.”

“I will kill your lover unless you hand yourself over!” Achilles firmly repeated, pressing his wand to Vinda’s neck.

She could feel his frustration through the wand’s pressure against her skin.

Queenie looked to Vinda as the witch opened her mouth, speaking words with no sound.

Queenie pulled out her wand, no longer afraid to fight for the safety of this one she cared for. But it was easily confiscated by Achilles, and in one smooth motion he was back at Vinda’s throat. It was a testament to his speed. If Grindelwald attacked, if he walked away, Vinda would be dead before a single muscle moved.

Queenie dared not move for this reason. She could only look helplessly at the only one who could help Vinda now.

And even still-

Grindelwald remained unmoving.

“You won’t go with him? You- you will let her die?” Queenie asked, her voice strained, almost begging. Begging him for an answer, begging for him to give himself up in exchange for the life of someone he clamed to care about so.

“It’s for the greater good.” Was all Grindelwald could say without giving too much of his position away.

This man had rescued her from a life that would have been as cruel as death, and now he was abandoning her for death in the end anyway. She felt used, like a lamb raised for this very moment, to be killed when it was most convenient, “You’re afraid! It’s because those who supported you are switching sides, and now I know why. You’re afraid that if you are caught you will not have anyone to help you.” Vinda struggled against the hold on her, not to escape for herself, in this moment she wanted to break the nose of the man before her, “So instead you will see me die?” Betrayal, anger and hurt, all these emotions fluctuated through her words. Tears falling so quickly out of her eyes that they did not linger for even a moment on her cheek. “Would you be able to choose the same if I was them.”

Them?

Vinda knew his name, she could shout it from the roofs if she wanted, and for the first time in her life she thought she might.

Achilles let them speak, his interest peaked at this information he was hearing.

“You know too well my plan, you know that I will if it comes to that.”

“Never have I seen you lie to yourself more than now.” Vinda shook her head bitterly, disbelieving at what she was hearing, “You would never be able to kill them, leave them to die. I don’t care if you try to convince yourself otherwise.”

“Vinda.” For the first time since his arrival, Grindelwald’s demeanor seemed to faulter, “You must know I care about you like a sister. But for the mission, I-“

“You hide behind that mission as your other hides behind work.” Vinda spat, “You are no better than the one you claim to hate.”

“Who is this person?” The auror asked Vinda, seeing her loyalty sway.

Vinda defiantly looked to her former leader, but she was silent.

This was the one thing she would never say. Regardless of how angry or hurt she felt, there was a line that she would never cross.

But it was no matter, Achilles was sure her lips would loosen under MACUSA’s methods of torture.

Overcome with victory bred overconfidence, and he did not notice a witch, one with hair the color of crisp dead leaves approach.

She was swift in her attack, bringing the man down into what appeared to be slumber. It caused the magical bindings to release, and Vinda was free at last.

The woman, one Queenie recognized well as an acolyte, worked fast to administer some sort of potion to Vinda. The injured witch drank it without any reservations.

The blond witch could only watch, she was frozen still, her eyes glancing back to Grindelwald and to the pair.

Grindelwald took a single step forward.

It was one too many.

Vinda shakily raised her wand to him. She knew full well that in a match of power she would lose. But she did not want to say anything more to this man, her action the only cue she could give to him.

These two who had spent so many years together, in each other’s confidence, sharing pain and hope alike.

Queenie could see the pain in the older man’s eyes. Grindelwald appeared tired as he seemed to remember, seemed to understand-

This was not the first time he faced down the wand of someone he cared for so deeply, and he knew, with the way this war was headed it would not be the last. He would face it one more time… one last time.

“Vinda?” The acolyte spoke ever so gently, breaking the gaze, the last remaining connection between two old friends, “Are you feeling better? Can you apparate?”

Vinda thought for a moment, lowering her wand before nodding.

“Good. Because, he’s waiting for us.” The acolyte spoke these private words loud enough so that Grindelwald could hear. She wanted him to hear, wanted him to know. The powers were shifting, and because he had been so focused on his obsession, he hadn’t even noticed that another dark wizard was slowly taking root.

It was all ending.


End file.
